Wednesday 16 October 2013

Why There Should be Body Checking in Younger Ages of Hockey


Why There Should be Body Checking in Younger Ages of Hockey

           I strongly disagree with Hockey Canada's recent decision to eliminate body checking in the Pee Wee age level. The Hockey Canada board explains that there research has found that many Pee Wee aged players are being injured because of body checking and it has become a safety issue. My opinion is that body checking should be brought in at an earlier age in the Atom level which is for kids playing at the 9 to 10 age level. I think it should be brought in earlier so that the players can learn how to hit properly when they begin playing competitive hockey. The real problem is that when these older kids start using body checking their skills haven't been developed and they don't know how to make a safe and legal hit. The other issue is that when kids start to hit at the 13 and 14 age there can be a huge difference between their height and weight. Many kids can almost be fully grown and up to six feet in height while others still haven't gone into puberty and are under five feet tall.  This is the real problem because these developed kids can serious injure the players that are much smaller than them. For these reasons, I strongly believe that body checking should brought in at the Atom level across the country instead of the Bantam level.

7 comments:

  1. I need to get this right: Previous to Hockey Canada's decision, body checking became part of the game around ages 11 and 12. Now it is part of the game at ages 13 and 14. You think body checking is a skill that should be learned at ages 9 and 10.

    I agree with your reasoning IF body checking is necessary for the sport. What purpose does body checking play in hockey? Is it a necessary component of the sport? Do girls leagues include body checking? I need more information!

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  3. Would it not be sufficient for Atom level players to simply partake in body checking clinics?

    These clinics are designed to teach hockey players to check both safely and legally, but even more importantly how to take a hit properly in order to avoid being injured.

    Would this not satisfy the same issues that you have presented for introducing hitting at a younger age rather than having them begin hitting at Atom? Would it not be better to introduce them to the concepts and "skill" before putting them in the "real life" situations? Practice before performance?

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  4. I agree that body checking clinics are very effective at developing the proper skills to place a clean and safe hit however these clinics do not provide the knowledge for in game situations. These clinics are setup and controlled which is not comparable to a real game when there is no control when body checking takes place. I believe that for younger players to be safe they should practice like a game so that when they do start thier regular season, they are ready for body checking to take place.

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  5. Do girls' leagues include body checking? I need to be prepared if M&M decide they want to play hockey.

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  6. I strongly agree with you Riley. As a goalie in hockey I see all the activity that goes on on the ice usually better than the players and even coaches. I can testify that most injuries occur from improper body checking(illegal body checking) or a player not knowing how to take a hit. Although checking clinics can help prepare a child for hitting, it is controlled and doesn't show the real power that a hit can have, especially when the kid is 6 foot and the other kid is 5 foot like Riley said. But, if they start body checking earlier when these kids are closer in size, they can all develop the ability to hit and get hit and get stronger for later years when the size and strength vary a lot more.

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  7. I agree with you Riley! I believe that body contact at younger ages would better prepare kids for their future hockey career. It will help them keep there head up during the play and ultimately make them better hockey players.

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